15 juin 2004
Cyclist avoids costly suspension
Randy Starkman
Fine levied for doping violation
Genevieve Jeanson can compete at the Athens Olympics after escaping suspension yesterday for missing a drug test, but not everyone on the Canadian cycling scene will applaud the news.
The 22-year-old from Lachine, Que., who faced a maximum six-month suspension for missing a doping test at a race in Belgium on April 21, received a warning and a fine of 500 Swiss francs ($548 Cdn.) yesterday for what was recorded as a doping violation by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
The case was handled by USADA because Jeanson is racing under a USA Cycling licence after the Quebec Cycling Federation refused to grant her one. The Quebec group wanted more medical information after she was pulled from the road race at last year's world championships in Hamilton when her hematocrit level (ratio of red blood cells to total volume of blood) tested too high.
Jeanson's principal residence is in the U.S.
There's a lot of ill will in Canadian cycling circles towards Jeanson and her controversial coach André Aubut, who has constantly butted heads with Canadian Cycling Association (CCA) officials.
Jeanson and rival Quebec cyclist Lyne Bessette, also a strong Olympic candidate, have a running feud and past history indicates it's extremely unlikely they can work together. They sniped at each other after the Sydney Olympics and Bessette made some volatile comments she later retracted after Jeanson was pulled from last year's worlds.
One veteran cycling official requesting anonymity said the association should select one or the other.
Sue Palmer-Komar of Hamilton and Manon Jutras of Quebec have also made the Olympic qualifying standard, but only three spots are open.
Former cycling great Curt Harnett, chair of the CCA's high performance committee which will oversee team selection, remains optimistic but says they'll be ready to make tough decisions if needed.
"If these riders can't commit to the overall team objective, maybe they'll be left off the team," Harnett said.
Harnett was pleased Jeanson would be available for the Games. He's a big fan of the former double world junior champion who won the World Cup recently despite the cloud hanging over her.
"It would have been a shame to have left her at home because of a rules violation," Harnett said.
Jeanson said she forgot to check the list to see if she'd been picked for testing after the race in Belgium because she was flustered after an incorrect reading on a blood test that morning.
page mise en ligne le 15 juin 2004 par SVP
